Episode 42
At the entrance, I shook the dust from my coat and took out the production journal and script collection I had tucked inside my arms.
A cold wind that was hard to believe in the middle of March was lashing at the city, but the evidence was warm enough.
All I had to do now was settle things with the network, and then I could move forward with a lawsuit based on what I’d gathered.
“Still, what should I do about this?”
I opened my phone and brought up KakaoTalk.
There was still no reply from Han, the representative.
Earlier, I had casually passed along to him what I’d heard in the elevator at AB Broadcasting Station.
“Has the AB drama department ever asked Twice for anything?”
- Yes, they have. Was there a reason you were asking?
“I was told the drama department hasn’t given a clear answer because of some friction with Come On Over.”
- They’re both under AB, so I suppose Twice is being cautious as well. They said they’d think about it, but to be having that kind of conversation in the elevator—hmm.
It was only my personal guess, but I thought the drama department staffer I’d met in the elevator must have seen Park Woo-chul’s ID badge.
There was no reason to aim at my family’s house unless they were desperate to land Twice.
So I made Han the proposal myself.
“What do you think about letting Twice decide?”
- …Pardon?
“The drama department said they were willing to revise the script, and if we add a Twice concert scene, wouldn’t that let them lightly shade over Come On Over?”
After all, the writer had said the scene could be revised to suit Twice, since he was a fan himself.
And from the network’s perspective later on, a cameo appearance wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Han thought it over for a long while before saying he’d discuss it with Twice and get back to me.
“This should really have ended at Jo Ji-han’s level,” I muttered.
I hoped Twice would seize the opportunity while they still had it.
Vrrr.
It was Han’s call at last.
“Representative Han.”
- Attorney Cha. I discussed it with Twice, and we’ve decided to go ahead with the drama For May.
For May was a coming-of-age story about an actress named May, and Twice would appear in the early part of the drama as top idols—an obstacle May had to pass through to enter the entertainment industry.
“Then it would be even better to show a concert scene. Have Twice sing as well.”
- Yes, if we do it, it’ll be a concert scene, and Twice will sing the OST too. Once I said that, everyone was on board.
Apparently, whenever Oh Ye-ji made an appearance, she’d wipe out the real-time charts and hold a permanent spot on the Hot 100.
And at the start of the year, she’d bragged that even the Billboard charts were thanks to her fans.
If we’re thinking about streaming rankings too, the drama department will treat them even better.
“I appreciate it.”
- It seems Oh Ye-ji was the one who led the discussion.
“…Ye-ji did?”
I heard laughter through the phone.
- Yes. Once the writer heard that he’d been writing with Twice in mind from the beginning, Ye-ji said, “I’m a fan. We have to do this!”
“I’m sure she was clapping and making a scene.”
- She’s a wonderfully bright artist.
I could picture it without even seeing her.
She’d probably been throwing around every trendy catchphrase in the book, going, “skrrt” and who knows what else.
“This should make for a good memory for Twice and the fans. It’s not often every member appears as a cameo in the same drama.”
Maybe when they were older, they’d be able to say that it had been hard, but fun.
- You said you weren’t very familiar with the idol scene, Attorney Cha, but you seem to know it very well!
I couldn’t exactly tell him I’d spent all day lurking on idol communities until I’d learned enough to fake expertise.
“Oh, and when you draw up the contract, could you add one more special clause? It doesn’t have to go all the way to the actual contract, but…”
- …What kind of clause?
“A clause including positive references to Yuria Entertainment’s staff.”
That was extremely important.
“When Twice gives their final thanks, I’d like there to be a line expressing gratitude to everyone at Yuria Entertainment. Honestly, it might even be fine to include the real story, but I’d hate to make the writer uncomfortable.”
- I’m the one who didn’t think of that, even as the representative. …Thank you so much.
Han said he would discuss it with the writer.
If the writer was a Twice fan, he might not hesitate to write it based on real events.
Wouldn’t it be funny if Kim Yo-gi were the May character?
While Han and I were exchanging ideas—like opening a free in-house concert so fans could watch—Oh Ye-ji sent me a KakaoTalk message.
“Representative Han. Would it be possible to collaborate with the company’s legal team on this matter?”
- Of course.
He said working with the legal adviser from Sinain would be difficult, but Yuria was always welcome, and he’d already prepared an ID badge for me.
He really was thoughtful.
I set down the Come On Over script collection in my hand.
“I’ll come by tomorrow.”
- Sweet dreams.
After ending the call with Han, I checked the KakaoTalk message Oh Ye-ji had sent.
- Cat Uncle, like you said, I told Style Entertainment that if they were going to let me go anyway, they should let me go now, okay?
“Yes.”
- They said to come in on a weekday this week? They’ll release me. …How is this happening?
They seemed to be in more of a hurry than I’d expected.
“Maybe they don’t want any noise before your debut,” I said.
- But that doesn’t sound like Style’s CEO at all.
Then they were probably worrying about investors. About the Elaine company.
“Are they signing the contract I sent them exactly as it is?”
- No, Style sent over a separate contract. They said they have their own company form.
Every company did have its own form.
But in a termination case, the usual pattern was to sign the contract sent by the stronger party.
Something feels off. The contract I drafted would be easier to read, so why bother with a separate one?
For now, I downloaded the contract Oh Ye-ji had sent and checked it over.
“Style Entertainment is a den of monsters.”
I wanted a cigarette I didn’t even smoke. Not because I truly wanted to light one, but because I needed the time it would take for the filter to burn to ash.
I swallowed my curses and let my head cool down.
Tap, tap, tap.
I started by pointing out the smaller issues to Oh Ye-ji.
“Niece, if you draft a contract that differs from the standard exclusive contract but still title it ‘Standard Exclusive Contract,’ you may be placed at a disadvantage in any future dispute. The same goes for termination.”
Under Article 103 of the Civil Act, the entire contract could even be rendered void as a legal act against public order and morality.
They probably thought they’d make any termination invalid if Ye-ji ended up doing well.
Next.
“Niece, designating Style Entertainment as the jurisdiction for litigation is a toxic clause. I’m revising that part. It’s not negotiable.”
The subsidiary agreement needed work too.
“When you specify revenue distribution, it has to be clear what expenses are deducted and how the settlement is calculated.”
But Style Entertainment had written only “expenses incurred during the trainee period.”
That could become a problem later.
“I’m revising it so that, in addition to trainees, all support provided to the artist during Twice’s activity period—lessons, manager manpower, vehicle support, and everything else—will also be deducted in full.”
- Do we really need to spell it out in that much detail?
“Yes. I also wrote the obligation to provide settlement records as extending through Twice’s activity period. I’d rather make it impossible for them to argue later over whether any settlement is owed.”
Oh Ye-ji sent me a shocked emoticon.
The most important special clause.
“As for any verbal contract regarding Style’s next girl group in the future, we’ll leave it as an open question.”
- Why do we need to include this? It doesn’t sound like a good clause for me either.
Seeing the emoticon of her fingers fidgeting so cautiously made me laugh.
“It means they’re not even allowed to try saying that Oh Ye-ji was trying to measure herself against Style’s girl group and Twice.”
The fact that a post about Oh Ye-ji and Style Entertainment had appeared on an idol community meant that Style Entertainment had written it on purpose.
Just to drag Oh Ye-ji by the hair and advertise their next girl group’s name.
This clause was meant to block that at the source. If they violated it, I’d file for damages.
Of course, the hyenas looking for a chance to sink their teeth in would probably bluster that Oh Ye-ji should have waited until the end of her activities before doing anything.
That’s meat for Style Entertainment to sort out.
- …Uncle. I never imagined this.
“That’s why we have to make it unmistakably clear—it’s an exclusive contract termination for a reason.”
In any case, I sent Oh Ye-ji the revised contract, marked up all over in blue.
“Niece, when you go to Style Entertainment, let me know. …I’ll come with you.”
- Yessss!!!
I could practically see her bouncing with excitement over those exclamation marks.
It was strange how quickly she could brighten up, even after something so sad and infuriating.
Her emotional recovery is really fast.
For someone like me, whose wounds from the case still sat deep inside, that was a deeply enviable thing.
She knew how to reach out to others, and she also knew how to work through things herself.
When the Yuria staff praised Oh Ye-ji for making them brighter, I felt absurdly proud, as if I were her real uncle.
So instead of ending our KakaoTalk exchange there as I normally would have, I sent her a message telling her it was late and she should go to sleep.
- Oh, Cat Uncle.
“Yes?”
- Hehe, I came to bring you good news again today.
“……”
For a second, Oh Ye-ji’s idea of “good news” flashed through my mind—after all, she’d just called an incident a happy update.
- Uncle?
I wasn’t curious in the slightest.
* * *
Early the next morning, I opened my phone screen to turn off the alarm.
“Ignoring Oh Ye-ji’s furious KakaoTalk. The other KakaoTalk…”
It was Han’s message, saying that everything was in place and I should come whenever was convenient.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone wake up earlier than I do.”
Thinking that the representative was a workaholic and the staff must have it rough, I checked my email as I always did and headed to Yuria Entertainment.
Outside the building entrance, a man wearing a lawyer’s badge was walking out with a yawn.
“……”
According to Han, the legal team had set working hours for each employee, so I’d come at 8:00 a.m. to match the staffer I was supposed to meet.
Maybe they had overseas work too, and this had turned into a three-shift operation.
When I pressed the bell, the guard opened the door at once.
“Attorney Cha Do-hyuk, someone from the legal team will be coming down. Please wait in the lobby.”
“…Thank you.”
When I went to the information desk, a warm law-adviser ID badge was waiting for me.
I idly fiddled with the temporary badge, struck by the oddness of it all.
“Even at Continent, I felt like I could hardly breathe.”
Strangely enough, that hollow emptiness I used to carry in my chest didn’t rise at all.
“Is this why the company itself matters?”
No matter how well known a firm was in Korea, no matter how much money they paid, this was still far better than trudging into work while feeling like nothing but an empty shell.
“Are you Attorney Cha Do-hyuk?”
A man wearing glasses called out to me.
“Yes.”
“I’m Kim Sung-woo from the legal team. Please come up to the ninth floor.”
As he led me to the ninth floor, where the legal team was located, he gave me a brief introduction to Yuria Entertainment.
“If you tag your ID badge, the entrance door opens. However, because of security, the legal team’s door only opens with a legal team badge.”
He added that I should carry my badge even when going to the restroom, and especially not lose it, because the HR manager wouldn’t issue another one right away.
He said the legal team’s work was a little different from that of a law firm or private practice.
“Really?”
Then I’d better act like I don’t know.
I didn’t want to undercut a kind person by showing off that I already knew.
In any case, the legal team’s main duties were reviewing and drafting contracts, managing the legal system, and handling trademark and intellectual property rights.
Kim Sung-woo mainly reviewed contracts.
“That’s perfect. I happen to have a lot of documents I want to look at.”
For an instant, a hard expression settled over his face.
Understandable.
It meant the relative of a Twice member was about to comb through the company’s confidential documents.